MEXICO: Hope and opportunity for vulnerable young girls

Author:

Salesian Missions

Publication Date:

June 09, 2011

Each and every day, children from the southern Mexican state of Chiapas desperately struggle to survive. They live in one-room huts made of wood slats and mud. They drink water from dirty streams and contaminated wells. Food is scarce and health care in non-existent. Many die from preventable ailments such as diarrhea, malaria and tuberculosis. Young girls are particularly vulnerable, often falling victim to forced marriages, domestic abuse, malnourishment and other health problems.

Amidst the misery and despair, however, there is a glimmer of hope thanks to the Salesian Home for Girls in Tuxtla Gutierrez.

Girls as young as 11 years old are welcomed with open arms by the Salesian Sisters who run the program. For the first time in many of their lives, the girls receive the basic necessities that had been sorely lacking, including safe shelter, nutritious meals, clean drinking water, essential medical care and meaningful spiritual guidance.

To ensure that each girl realizes her full potential, the Sisters place a high emphasis on education. Every girl is expected to attend local public school and perform well in her studies. The Sisters also offer individualized tutoring to help those who are struggling.

The experience at the Salesian Home is a life-changing event – one that transforms a hopeless situation into one of hope and opportunity.